Cyclone separator with fine particle separation member

ABSTRACT

A cyclone separator assembly comprises a cyclone separator that removes large particles of dirt from a working airstream as it flows through the cyclone separator, and the separated large particles of dirt are deposited into a dirt cup. The cyclone separator assembly further includes a fine particle separation member comprising a plurality of apertures for separating fine particles of dirt from air in the cyclone separator or the dirt cup. The fine particle separation member can be formed in a wall of the cyclone separator, a sidewall of the dirt cup, or in the outlet of the cyclone separator assembly. The cyclone separator assembly can further include a guide plate for creating a direction change in the path of the working airstream to aid in the separation of fine particles of dirt from air passing through the outlet.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent applicationSer. No. 11/162,164, filed Aug. 31, 2005, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,748,079,issued Jul. 6, 2010, which claims priority on U.S. ProvisionalApplication No. 60/522,213, filed on Sep. 1, 2004, both of which areherein incorporated by reference in their entirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The invention relates to vacuum cleaners, and in particular to a cycloneseparator for a vacuum cleaner. In one of its aspects, the inventionrelates to a vacuum cleaner with a fine contaminant separator forremoving fine contaminants from the working air.

2. Description of the Related Art

Cyclone separators are well known. Some follow the textbook examplesusing frustoconical shaped separators and others use high-speedrotational motion of the dir-laden air to separate the dirt bycentrifugal force. Separation of the dirt/dust from the air is notdifficult, but the problem of keeping the dirt separated from theairflow has not been adequately solved. There is a tendency for theseparated debris to re-entrain into the airflow and thereby pass throughthe separator or for fine particles/contaminants to remain in theairflow after passing through the cyclone separator. Some minor amountsof fine dust usually pass through the cyclone and are filtered insecondary filters located downstream of the cyclone separator tomaximize dust removal. These filters are positioned anywhere from thecyclone exit port to the clean air exhaust port.

The U.S. Pat. No. 6,440,197 to Conrad attempts to solve there-entrainment problem by placing an apertured particle separationmember near the bottom of the cyclonic chamber. In this case, theapertured particle separation member allows the fine particles in thecyclonic airstream to pass through the apertures and come to rest in arelatively dead zone beneath the cyclone chamber. However, as largerparticles of dirt collect on top of the separation member, the fineparticles cannot pass through the apertured particle separation memberinto the dead zone. As a result, the fine particles are not separatedfrom in the airstream and are eventually trapped in a downstream filter.

The U.S. Pat. No. 6,221,134 to Conrad et al. discloses another attemptto separate fine particles of dirt from a cyclonic air flow in a cycloneseparator. Conrad et al. 134 discloses a fine particle-receiving chamberbeneath the cyclonic fluid flow region. The fine particle-receivingchamber is formed beneath a particle-separating plate that extendsacross the width of the separator chamber and has a plurality of narrowslots sized for passing the fine particles from the separator chamber tothe fine particle-receiving chamber. However, this separator plate has aproblem similar to that found in the Conrad 197 patent; as largeparticles of dirt collect on the particle-separating plate, the largerparticles block the path of the fine particles, with the result that asignificant amount of fine particles cannot pass through the separatorplate and remains in the cyclonic air flow.

The U.S. Pat. No. 6,344,064 to Conrad et al. discloses yet anotherattempt to separate fine particles from the airflow by utilizing aplurality of secondary cyclones arranged in parallel downstream of aprimary upstream cyclone. A downstream particle collector is providedfor the downstream cyclones, and the upstream cyclone has it owncorresponding upstream particle collector. The particle collectors areconfigured such that the downstream particle collector is emptied whenthe upstream particle collector is emptied. Alternatively, thedownstream particle collector can be emptied into the upstream particlecollector whereby all of the particles are emptied through the upstreamparticle collector.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,810,557 to Hansen et al. discloses an upright vacuumcleaner that has a cyclone separator and a dirt cup. A horizontal plateseparates the cyclone separator from the dirt cup. The air flowingthrough the cyclone separator passes through an annular cylindrical cagewith baffles and through a cylindrical filter before exiting the cycloneseparator at the upper end thereof. The dirt cup has three finger-likeprojections extending upwardly from the bottom thereof to agglomeratethe dirt in the dirt cup. The dirt cup further has a pair of radial finsextending inwardly from the sidewalls of the dirt cup. The U.S. PatentApplication Publication No. 20030159411 to Hansen et al. discloses acyclone separator comprising a dirt separation module having a separatorplate between the cyclone region and the dirt collection region. Theseparator plate has an outer diameter smaller than the inner diameter ofthe cylindrical wall of the dirt separation housing so that a gapseparates the outer edge of the separator plate and the inner wall ofthe dirt tank. The U.S. Patent Application No. 60/481,542, filed Oct.22, 2003, discloses a cyclone separator comprising a cyclone exhaustairflow directed through a fluid conduit positioned in the center of thecyclone region. Cyclone exhaust airflow passes through a filter chamberbelow the dirt collection region before entering the motor fan inlet.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to the invention, a vacuum cleaner comprises a housing havinga sidewall and a top wall defining a cyclonic airflow chamber forseparating contaminants from a dirt-containing airstream, the housingfurther comprising an inlet and an outlet in fluid communication withthe cyclonic airflow chamber, and, optionally, a dirt cup with asidewall; a nozzle housing including a main suction opening, the mainsuction opening being fluidly connected with the housing inlet; anairstream suction source fluidly connected to the main suction openingand to the cyclonic airflow chamber for transporting dirt-containing airfrom the main suction opening to the cyclonic airflow chamber, whereinthe suction source is adapted to establish and maintain thedirt-containing airstream from the main suction opening to the housinginlet; and a fine contaminant separation member formed in at least oneof the walls of the cyclonic airflow chamber, the sidewall of the dirtcup, and the housing outlet, the fine contaminant separation membercomprising a plurality of apertures for separating fine contaminantsfrom the dirt-containing airstream as the dirt-containing airstreamflows by the fine contaminant separation member.

According to one embodiment, the plurality of apertures are positionedin the housing outlet. The housing outlet can have an outlet chamberwith an inlet in fluid communication with the cyclonic airflow chamberand an exhaust conduit, and the plurality of apertures is positioned inthe outlet chamber. The outlet chamber comprises a side wall and theplurality of apertures is positioned in the side wall of the outletchamber. A guide plate can be positioned in the outlet chamber forcreating a direction change in the path of the dirt-containing airstreamin the outlet chamber to aid in the separation of fine contaminants fromthe dirt-containing airstream. The guide plate can direct thedirt-containing airstream through a 180° turn. The plurality ofapertures can be transverse to the path of the dirt-containingairstream, and can be circular in cross-section, elongated, or formed bylouvers. The guide plate can alternatively comprises a plurality ofvanes for imparting a circular motion to the dirt-containing airstream.The outlet chamber inlet is positioned centrally with respect to thevanes. In one embodiment, the guide plate is mounted for rotation withrespect to the outlet chamber and the guide plate is rotatably driven bythe dirt-containing airstream as it passes through the outlet chamber toincrease the inertia of the particles in the dirt-containing airstream.

According to another embodiment, the vacuum cleaner further comprises afine contaminant collector formed at least in part by the finecontaminant separation member and positioned adjacent to the at leastone of the walls and the sidewall for collecting the fine contaminantsafter they pass through the fine contaminant separation member. The finecontaminant collector is formed by at least one side wall, a bottomwall, and at least in part by the fine contaminant separation member.

According to another embodiment, the fine contaminant separation memberis formed in both of the cyclone separator sidewall and the dirt cupsidewall.

According to yet another embodiment, the apertures in the finecontaminant collector have a pattern that forms a dead space in whichthe fine contaminants are collected, and the fine contaminant separationmember partitions the cyclonic airflow chamber from the dead space.

According to still another embodiment of the invention, the dirt cup isremovably mounted to cyclonic airflow chamber sidewall.

In yet another embodiment, the vacuum cleaner further comprises a guideplate positioned in the housing outlet for creating a directional changein the path of the dirt-containing airstream in the housing outlet toaid in the separation of fine contaminants from the dirt-containingairstream.

Further according to the invention, a particle separator comprises ahousing having a sidewall and a top wall defining a cyclonic airflowchamber for separating contaminants from a dirt-containing airstream,the housing further comprising an inlet and an outlet in fluidcommunication with the cyclonic airflow chamber, and a dirt cupincluding a sidewall beneath the cyclone airflow chamber and incommunication therewith to receive dirt particles separated from thedirt-containing stream in the cyclonic airflow chamber; and at least oneparticle collector formed adjacent to at least one of the walls of thecyclonic airflow chamber, the sidewall of the dirt cup and the housingoutlet and connected to the at least one of the cyclonic airflowchamber, dirt cup and the housing outlet through a fine contaminantseparation member having a plurality of apertures for separating finecontaminants from air in the at least one of the cyclonic airflowchamber, the dirt cup and the housing outlet.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an upright vacuum cleaner with a cycloneseparator assembly according to the invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the cyclone separator assembly of FIG.1, wherein a portion of a sidewall is cut away to illustrate theinterior of the cyclone separator assembly.

FIG. 3 is an exploded view of the cyclone separator assembly of FIG. 2.

FIG. 3A is a sectional view taken along line 3A-3A of FIG. 3.

FIG. 4 is a schematic sectional view of the cyclone separator assemblyof FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 is a schematic sectional view taken along line 5-5 of FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken along line 6-6 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of an alternative upright vacuum cleanerwith the cyclone separator assembly of FIG. 2.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a second embodiment cyclone separatorassembly according to the invention, wherein a portion of a sidewall iscut away to illustrate the interior of the cyclone separator assembly.

FIG. 9 is a schematic sectional view of the cyclone separator assemblyof FIG. 8.

FIG. 10 is a schematic sectional view of a third embodiment cycloneseparator assembly according to the invention.

FIG. 11 is a schematic sectional view of the cyclone separator assemblyof FIG. 10 with a fine particle collector mounted to a frustoconicalcyclone separator.

FIG. 12 is a schematic sectional view of a fourth embodiment cycloneseparator assembly according to the invention.

FIG. 13 is a schematic sectional view of a fifth embodiment cycloneseparator assembly according to the invention.

FIG. 14 is a front view of a fine particle separator member from thecyclone separator assembly of FIG. 13.

FIG. 15 is a sectional view taken along line 15-15 of FIG. 14.

FIG. 16 is a front view similar to FIG. 14 of an alternative fineparticle separation member.

FIG. 17 is a sectional view taken along line 17-17 of FIG. 16.

FIG. 18 is a schematic sectional view of a sixth embodiment cycloneseparator assembly according to the invention.

FIG. 19 is a sectional view taken along line 19-19 of FIG. 18.

FIG. 20 is a schematic sectional view of a seventh embodiment cycloneseparator assembly according to the invention.

FIG. 21 is a front view of a fine particle separator member from thecyclone separator assembly of FIG. 20.

FIG. 22 is a sectional view taken along line 22-22 of FIG. 21.

FIG. 23 is a schematic sectional view of an eighth embodiment cycloneseparator assembly according to the invention.

FIG. 24 is a bottom view of a guide plate from the cyclone separatorassembly of FIG. 23.

FIG. 25 is a front view of a fine particle separator member from thecyclone separator assembly of FIG. 23.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

An upright vacuum cleaner 10 with a cyclone separator assembly 12according to one embodiment of the invention is shown in FIG. 1. Thecyclone separator assembly 12 is mounted to an upright handle 14pivotally mounted to a nozzle base housing 16 having a main suctionopening adjacent the surface to be cleaned.

Referring to FIGS. 2-4, the cyclone separator assembly 12 according tothe invention comprises a cylindrical cyclone separator 18 and a dirtcup 54 located below the cyclone separator 18. The cyclone separator 18has a top wall 20 and a generally orthogonal, cylindrical sidewall 22that terminates in a lower offset lip 24. An annular collar 26 dependsfrom the top wall 20 and is centered in the cylindrical cycloneseparator 18. An exhaust outlet 31 that extends through the top wall 20in alignment with a central longitudinal axis of the annular collar 26is fluidly connected with a suction source 40, such as a motor and fanassembly. The sidewall 22 further includes a tangential air inlet 28aligned proximate the top wall 20 for generating a tangential airflowinto the cyclone separator 18 and parallel to the top wall 20.

As seen in FIGS. 2 and 4, the cyclone separator 18 further comprises afilter assembly 82 having a cylindrical arrangement of louvers 36depending from the collar 26 that depends from the top wall 20 of thecyclone separator 18. Referring to FIGS. 2 and 5, an optional,thick-walled cylindrical foam-type filter element 86 (not shown in FIG.4) is arranged within the cyclone separator 18 within the louvers 36 andis held in place by a filter cage 84 (also not shown in FIG. 4). Thefilter cage 84 includes a perforated cylindrical wall and a centrallydisposed locking insert (not shown) projecting upwardly within thefilter cage 84 for mounting the filter cage 84 to the cyclone separator18. A filter cage mounting projection (not shown) depends from the topwall 20 of the cyclone separator 18, within the cylinder formed by thelouvers 36, to cooperate with the locking insert for mounting the filtercage 84 to the cyclone separator 18 in a substantially sealing fashion.The foam-type filter element 86 is thereby retained between the filtercage 84 and the louvers 36. The filter assembly 84 further comprises aninclined annular separator plate 30 mounted to a lower end of thelouvers 36 to form an annular gap 50 between a lower end of the filterassembly 84 and the sidewall 22. An exemplary cyclone separator isdisclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,810,557, which is incorporated herein byreference in its entirety.

The filter assembly 82 suspends from the top wall 20 and is orientedgenerally perpendicular to the top wall 20 and concentric with thesidewall 22 to form a toroidal cyclonic airflow chamber 48 between thecylindrical arrangement of louvers 36 and the sidewall 22. According toone embodiment, the tangential air inlet 28 is vertically aligned nearthe top wall 20 such that the tangential airflow from the tangential airinlet 28 is directed into the toroidal chamber 48. Any air passing fromthe toroidal chamber 48 and between the louvers 36 to the exhaust outlet31 must pass through the optional foam-type filter element 86 beforeleaving the cyclone separator 18.

With further reference to FIGS. 2-5, the tangential airflow containingparticulate matter passes through the tangential air inlet 28 and intothe toroidal chamber 48 to travel around the filter assembly 82. As theairflow travels about the toroidal chamber 48, heavier dirt particlesare forced toward the sidewall 22. These particles fall under the forceof gravity through the gap 50 and are collected in the dirt cup 54 belowthe cyclone separator 18. The upper end of the dirt cup 54 is receivedin a nesting relationship in the lower offset lip 24 of the sidewall 22to seal the cyclone separator 18 to the dirt cup 54 to form the cycloneseparator assembly 12. The dirt cup 54 thereby performs the function ofcollecting the dirt separated from the airflow within the cycloneseparator 18. A resilient seal 102 located between a lower surface ofthe lower offset lip 24 and an upper surface of the dirt cup 54 preventsair leakage therebetween.

The dirt cup 54 comprises a generally planar bottom wall 62 and anupstanding cylindrical sidewall 64 to form an open-topped dirt cupcollection chamber 56, which is separated from the toroidal chamber 48by the plate 30, except at the gap 50, when the dirt cup 56 is mountedbeneath the cyclone separator 18. According to one embodiment, at leasta portion of the sidewall 64 is constructed of a translucent material sothat a user can view the dirt cup collection chamber 56 when the cycloneseparator assembly 12 is mounted to the vacuum cleaner 10. The dirt cup54 further comprises a dirt cup grip 114 that extends outwardly from thedirt cup sidewall 64 and away from the upright handle 14 when the dirtcup 54 is mounted to the vacuum cleaner 10. Preferably, the dirt cupgrip 114 is integrally formed with the dirt cup sidewall 22; however, aseparate grip can be attached to the sidewall 22 in a conventionalmanner such as with adhesives, screws, rivets, and the like.

A plurality of finger-like projections 65 extend vertically from thebottom wall 62 of the dirt cup 54, and a pair of vertical fins 67extends radially inward from the sidewall 64 of the dirt cup 54. Adescription of the geometry of the finger-like projections 65 and thevertical fins 67 is provided in the aforementioned incorporated U.S.Pat. No. 6,810,557.

During operation of the cyclone separator assembly 12, the suctionsource 40 draws a working airstream through the main suction opening ofthe nozzle base housing 16 and into the tangential air inlet 28. Theworking airstream traverses through the toroidal chamber 48, casts dirtparticles toward the sidewall 22, and exits the toroidal chamber 48between the louvers 36. As seen in FIG. 5, the louvers 36 are orientedaway from the direction of air flow (indicated by arrows) about thetoroidal chamber 48. The velocity of the circulating air flow is alteredas the air flow changes direction to pass around and between the louvers36. This change in the velocity of the air flow causes the air flow toshed additional dirt particles. These dirt particles and theaforementioned separated dirt particles that are cast toward thesidewall 22 fall into the dirt cup 54 through the gap 50.

The portion of the air flow that passes between the louvers 36 thenpasses through the optional foam-type filter element 86, which filtersdirt of a selected particle size. The air then flows through the exhaustoutlet 31, an exhaust/suction conduit 90, and through a secondary(pre-motor) filter 92 before reaching the suction source 40. Thepre-motor filter 92 removes additional particulate matter from theexhaust airstream prior to the airstream being drawn through the suctionsource 40. A post-motor filter 94 can also be provided downstream of thesuction source 40 to remove additional fine particulate matter from theexhaust airstream before it is released to the atmosphere.

A known phenomenon in cyclone separators is the re-entrainment of dirtinto circulating air after the dirt is deposited in a dirt containmentvessel positioned beneath the cyclone separation chamber. It has beendiscovered that this re-entrainment is due to a vertical component ofair circulation within the dirt cup 54 between the gap 50 and the dirtcup bottom wall 62. Generally, the air flow pattern has the strongestvertical component at the bottom portion of the dirt cup 54 below thetangential air inlet 28 to the cyclone separator 18. Suitable featuresto minimize re-entrainment of debris in the dirt cup are described inthe aforementioned incorporated U.S. Pat. No. 6,810,557.

Another problem associated with cyclone separators is the removal offine particles/contaminants from the airstream. Typically, the fineparticles are eventually removed by the pre-motor filter 92, which canbecome clogged and lead to a loss in suction and a decrease in theperformance of the vacuum cleaner 10. To alleviate this problem, thecyclone separator assembly 12 according to the invention comprises afine particle separation member to separate fine particles from theairstream as the airstream passes therethrough. As a result, fewer fineparticles reach the pre-motor filter 92, thereby reducing theprobability of clogging the pre-motor filter 92 and the resulting lossof suction at the nozzle and consequent degradation of cleaningperformance.

With continued reference to FIGS. 2-4, the cyclone separator assembly 12comprises at least one and preferably two fine particle collectors 104formed in the dirt cup sidewall 64 and extending radially away from thecircular center of the dirt cup 54. The fine particle collectors 104comprise a plurality of side walls 103, an open top 106, and a closedbottom 108. The side walls 103 and the closed bottom 108 form a fineparticle collection chamber 101 that opens into the dirt cup collectionchamber 56. The lower offset lip 24 of the cyclone separator 18 extendsradially outward beyond the sidewall 22 at two circumferentially spacedlocations, thereby forming a pair of integral fine particle collectortops 100 that form top walls for covering the open tops 106 of the fineparticle collectors 104 when the dirt cup 54 is mounted below thecyclone separator 18. In the embodiment of FIGS. 1-6, the cycloneseparator 18 comprises two circumferentially spaced fine particlecollector tops 100, and the dirt cup 54 comprises two fine particlecollectors 104. However, any number of particle collector tops 100 fineparticle collectors 104 can be formed in any locations of the cycloneseparator assembly 12.

A fine particle separation member 110 comprising a plurality ofapertures 112 forms a wall that joins the side walls 103 to close theopening from the fine particle separation chamber 101 into the dirt cupcollection chamber 56 and thereby separates the fine particle collectionchamber 101 from the dirt cup collection chamber 56. While the fineparticle separation member 110 separates the fine particle collectionchamber 101 from dirt cup collection chamber 56, the two spacescommunicate through the apertures 112 in the fine particle separationmember 110. Thus, fine particles entrained in the air in the dirtcollection chamber 56 can pass through the apertures 112 to the fineparticle collection chamber 101.

In the current embodiment, the apertures 112 decrease in surface areafrom an upstream side to a downstream side of the fine particleseparation member 110. As a result of this configuration, the fineparticle separation member 110 has on the downstream side a solid wallportion 109 that forms a dead space in the fine particle collectionchamber 101 for collecting and holding fine particles that pass throughthe apertures 112. The pattern, such as the shape and distribution, ofthe apertures 112 determines the shape and location of the solid wallportion 109 and the dead space. In the current embodiment, the apertures112 are patterned such that the apertures 112 and the solid wall portion109 meet at a generally diagonal juncture, and the dead space isgenerally triangular shaped at a downstream end of the fine particlecollector 104.

The plurality of apertures 112 in the fine particle separation member110 can be configured in any suitable geometry. In the currentembodiment, the apertures 112 are truncated cone-shaped apertures, asshown in FIG. 3A, wherein the cone tapers from an outlet/cone base 115facing the fine particle collection chamber 101 to an inlet 118 facingthe dirt cup collection chamber 56 so that the apertures 112 are lesssusceptible to clogging. Additionally, the apertures 112 are orientedparallel, or in-line, with the airstream in the dirt cup 54.

As best seen in FIGS. 3A and 6, the fine particle separation member 110has a curvature similar to that of the cylindrical sidewall 64 of thedirt cup 54 so that the fine particle separation members 110 essentiallyform a continuous wall with the sidewall 64. The fine particleseparation member 110 can be integrally formed with the dirt cup 54 aspart of the dirt cup sidewall 64 or can be a separate piece that ismounted, such as in a removable fashion, to the dirt cup 54. In theembodiment of FIG. 6, a pair of support ribs 116 in the dirt cup 54facilitates mounting the fine particle separation member 110 to the dirtcup 54. The support ribs 116 form a groove sized to slidingly receiveside edges of the fine particle separation member 110. Thus, the fineparticle separation member 110 can be inserted into and removed from thedirt cup 54 by sliding the fine particle separation member 110 betweenthe ribs 116 from above when the dirt cup 54 is not mounted below thecyclone separator 18.

According to one embodiment, the dirt cup 54 comprises five projections65, and two of the projections 65 are oriented in spaced relationrelative to the fine particle separation members 110. As shown in FIG.6, the two projections 65 are radially aligned with the respective fineparticle separation members 110 and are centrally positioned, i.e.,positioned about midway between the upstream and downstream sides of thefine particle separation members 110. The remaining three projections 65are oriented as described in the U.S. Pat. No. 6,810,557. As a result,the five projections 65 are oriented in a pentagon shape, as shown inFIG. 6. The fins 67, which are spaced related to one another, arelocated upstream of the fine particle separation members 110 anddownstream of the cyclone inlet 28.

During operation, the primary separation of debris occurs in the cycloneseparator 18 as described above. However, some fine particles remainentrained in the moving air within the dirt cup 54. As the air movesaround in the dirt cup 54, inertia carries entrained fine particles ofdirt toward the dirt cup sidewall 64 and, thus, the fine particleseparation members 110, which are essentially continuous with thesidewall 64. As the air passes over the fine particle separation member110 from the upstream side to the downstream side of the fine particleseparation member 110, the inertia of the fine particles throws the fineparticles through the plurality of apertures 112 in the fine particleseparation member 110. Because the apertures 112 are oriented parallel,or in-line, with the airstream, the fine particles enter the apertureswithout making a significant change in direction. After passing throughthe apertures 112, the fine particles come to rest in the relativelydead space of the fine particle collection chamber 101, wherere-entrainment of the fine particles into the moving air path in thedirt cup collection chamber 56 is minimized. The direction of the fineparticles through the apertures 112 of the fine particle separationmember 110 is indicated by arrows in FIG. 3A.

The dirt cup 54 is removably connected to the cyclone separator 18 foremptying the dirt cup collection chamber 56 and the fine particlecollection chambers 101. The dirt cup 54 is generally verticallyadjustable relative to the cyclone separator 18, such as by a cammechanism 96 (FIG. 1), so that it can be raised into an engaged andoperative position underneath the cyclone separator 18. When the dirtcup 54 is raised, the upper edge of the dirt cup sidewall 64 is receivedwithin the offset lip 24 of the cyclone separator 18 to thereby seal thedirt cup 54 with the cyclone separator 18 and to prevent the dirt cup 54from being dislodged from the cyclone separator 18. To remove the dirtcup 54 from the cyclone separator 18, such as to discard dirtaccumulated on the dirt cup collection chamber 56 and in the fineparticle collection chambers 101, the dirt cup 54 is displaceddownwardly from the cyclone separator 18, such as by movement of the cammechanism 96. Once disengaged from the offset lip 24, the dirt cup 54can be removed from the separator 18 and taken to an appropriatereceptacle for emptying, such as by turning the dirt cup 54 upside down.

The fine particle collectors 104, including the fine particle separationmembers 110, can be positioned anywhere in the cyclone separatorassembly 12 other than at the bottom of the cyclone separator 18 orbottom of the dirt cup 54. Suitable locations for the fine particlecollectors 104 include the cyclone sidewall 22, the dirt cup side wall64, or the cyclone top wall 20.

An alternative vacuum cleaner with the cyclonic dirt separator assembly12 is illustrated in FIG. 7. The cyclone separator assembly 12 forms aportion of a pod 120 that is removable from the upright handle 14 foruse separate from the upright handle 14. A vacuum cleaner with adetachable cyclonic vacuum module or pod is described in detail in U.S.Patent Application Publication No. 2004/0216263, which is incorporatedherein by reference in its entirety.

A second embodiment of a cyclone separator assembly 12 is illustrated inFIGS. 8 and 9, where components similar to those of the first embodimentcyclone separator assembly 12 are identified with the same referencenumeral. The cyclone separator assembly 12 is identical to the firstembodiment cyclone separator assembly 12 of FIGS. 1-6, except that inthe second embodiment, the fine particle collectors 104 are formed inthe cyclone sidewall 22 rather than in the dirt cup sidewall 64. Duringoperation, the working airstream enters the tangential air inlet 28 andflows in a cyclonic fashion around the sidewall 22. As the aircirculates, large particles entrained in the airstream are separatedtherefrom and fall through the gap 50 to the bottom of the dirt cup 54.As described above with respect to the first embodiment, the air remainsentrained with fine particles and passes by the fine particle separationmembers 110. Inertia carries the entrained fine particles toward thecyclone sidewall 22 and, thus, the fine particle separation members 110.As the air passes over the fine particle separation members 110, theinertia of the fine particles throws the fine particles through theplurality of apertures 112 in the fine particle separation members 110and into the dead space within the fine particle collection chambers 101of the fine particle collectors 104.

In both the first and the second embodiments of the cyclone separatorassembly 12, the fine particle collectors 104 have been described as aportion of either the cyclone separator 18 or the dirt cup 54. However,the cyclone separator assembly 12 of either embodiment can comprise aunitary housing that can be removed from the vacuum cleaner 10 as asingle entity combining both the cyclone separator 18 and the dirt cup54, where the dirt cup 54 forms a portion of the cyclone separator 18.Examples of this type of separator are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos.6,003,196 and 6,607,572, which are incorporated herein by reference intheir entirety. In such an embodiment, the cyclone separator assembly 12can comprise a bottom wall that also forms the bottom walls of the fineparticle collectors 104 and that can be displaced, such as by pivoting,relative to the cyclone separator assembly 12 to thereby empty the fineparticle collectors 104.

A third embodiment of a cyclone separator assembly 12 is illustrated inFIG. 10, where components similar to those of the first and the secondembodiment cyclone separator assemblies 12 are identified with the samereference numeral. The cyclone separator assembly 12 comprises an upperhousing 17 with a top wall 20 and a cylindrical sidewall 22 having atangential air inlet 28 formed therein and a dirt cup 54 sealinglymounted to the upper housing 17. A generally frustoconical cycloneseparator 18 located within the cyclone separator assembly 12 comprisesan upper end 18A, a lower end 18B, and a plurality of apertures 112sized to receive fine particles of dirt. An exhaust outlet 31 thatextends from the cyclone separator 18 through the top wall 20 of theupper housing 17 is in fluid communication with a source of suction (notshown).

During operation of the cyclone separator assembly 12, dirt-laden airflows into the cyclonic separator assembly 12 through the tangential airinlet 28 and flows in a cyclonic fashion along the cyclone separator 18from the upper end 18A, to the lower end 18B, and through the exhaustoutlet 31. As the air flows from the upper end 18A to the lower end 18B,large particles of dirt are separated from the airstream and are thrownout of the cyclone separator 18 at the lower end 18B and into the dirtcup 54. At the same time, the cyclone separator 18 also functions as afine particle separator as the airstream flows from the upper end 18A tothe lower end 18B. In particular, as the airstream passes by theapertures 112, the fine particles of dirt drop out of the airstream andtravel through the apertures 112 and into the dirt cup 54. As a result,both the large and fine particles are collected in the dirt cup 54 andcan be emptied by removing the dirt cup 54 from the cyclone separatorassembly 12.

Alternatively, the cyclone separator assembly 12 can comprise a unitaryhousing that can be removed from the vacuum cleaner 10 as a singleentity. In such an embodiment, the cyclone separator assembly 12 cancomprise a bottom wall that can be displaced from the cyclone separator12 to thereby empty the large and fine particles. In another alternativeembodiment, as illustrated in FIG. 11, the cyclone separator assembly 12can further comprise a fine particle collector 104 sealingly mounted tothe cyclone separator 18 to form a small dead space around the cycloneseparator 18 for receiving the fine particles that pass through theapertures 112. When the cyclone separator assembly 12 comprises aseparate and removable dirt cup 54, the fine particle collector 104 canbe removed with the dirt cup 54 for emptying.

Three levels of filtration can occur in the embodiment shown in FIG. 11.As previously described, bulk separation of larger particles occursthrough centrifugal action within the cyclone separator 18, and thelarger particles are dropped into the dirt cup 54. At the same time, thefine particles pass through the apertures 112 and are captured in thefine particle collector 104. However, the larger particles can compriseboth heavy particles and lighter fluff 105 including carpet fibers, hairstrands, dust balls, and the like. As shown by arrows, airflow throughthe cyclone separator 18 creates a vortex tail 107 that can extendthrough the lower end 18B and randomly move around within the dirt cup54. The swirling air within the dirt cup 54 can create an induced vortexin the dirt cup 54 whereby the vortex tail 107 induces circular airflowabout the sidewall 64 of the dirt cup 54. This induced vortex canfurther create a turbulent layer near the top of the dirt cup 54 outsidethe fine particle collector 104. The lighter fluff 105 tends to belifted by the turbulent air flow and circulates around the exterior ofthe fine particle collector 104 and above the lower end 18B of thecyclone separator 18, which effectively prevents re-entrainment. Thelighter fluff 105 remains in suspension until the airflow is stopped, atwhich time the lighter fluff 105 falls under force of gravity to thebottom of the dirt cup 54. Thereafter, the lighter fluff 105 can beemptied with the other contents in the dirt cup 54. As can beappreciated, separation of the lighter fluff 105 can occur with afrustoconical cyclone separator 18 lacking the fine particle collector104, as long as the dirt cup 54 extends above the lower end 18B of thefrustoconical cyclone separator 18, with or without the apertures 112,as depicted in FIG. 12.

A fourth embodiment of a cyclone separator assembly 12 is illustrated inFIG. 12 where components similar to those of previous embodiment cycloneseparator assemblies 12 are identified with the same reference numeral.The cyclone separator assembly 12 comprises an upper housing 17 with atop wall 20 and a cylindrical sidewall 22 having a tangential air inlet28 and a dirt cup 54 sealingly mounted to the upper housing 17. The dirtcup 54 comprises a bottom wall 62 and a sidewall 64 extending upwardfrom the bottom wall 64. A generally frustoconical cyclone separator 18located within the cyclone separator assembly 12 comprises an upper end18A and a lower end 18B, and an exhaust outlet 31 that extends from thecyclone separator 18 through the top wall 20 of the upper housing 17 isin fluid communication with a source of suction (not shown). The cycloneseparator assembly 12 further comprises fine particle collectors 104formed in the side wall 64 of the dirt cup 54 in the same manner as inthe first embodiment cyclone separator assembly 12 of FIGS. 1-6.

During operation of the cyclone separator assembly 12, dirt-laden airflows into the cyclonic separator assembly 12 through the tangential airinlet 28 and flows in a cyclonic fashion along the cyclone separator 18from the upper end 18A, to the lower end 18B, and through the exhaustoutlet 31. As the air flows from the upper end 18A to the lower end 18B,large particles of dirt are separated from the airstream and are thrownout of the cyclone separator 18 at the lower end 18B and into the dirtcup 54. Air entrained with fine particles enters the dirt cup 54 withthe large particles, and inertia carries the entrained fine particles ofdirt toward the dirt cup sidewall 64 and, thus, the fine particleseparation members 110. As the air passes over the fine particleseparation members 110, the inertia of the fine particles throws thefine particles through the plurality of apertures 112 in the fineparticle separation members 110. After passing through the apertures112, the fine particles come to rest in the relatively dead space withinthe fine particle collection chambers 101 of the fine particlecollectors 104.

A fifth embodiment of a cyclone separator assembly 12 is illustrated inFIG. 13 where components similar to those of previous embodiment cycloneseparator assemblies 12 are identified with the same reference numeral.The cyclone separator assembly 12 is identical to the first embodimentcyclone separator assembly 12 of FIGS. 1-6, except that in the currentembodiment, the fine particle collectors 104 span both the cycloneseparator 18 and the dirt cup 54. Each of the fine particle collectors104 comprises an upper fine particle separation member 110A and a lowerfine particle separation member 110B. The upper fine particle separationmember 110A forms an effectively continuous wall with the sidewall 22 ofthe cyclone separator 18, and the lower fine particle separation member110B forms an effectively continuous wall with the sidewall 64 of thedirt cup 54. Alternatively, the fine particle separation members 110A,110B can be formed integrally with the respective sidewalls 22, 64.Additionally, each fine particle collector 104 forms an open-bottomupper fine particle collection chamber 101A adjacent to the upper fineparticle separation member 110A and an open-top lower fine particlecollection chamber 101B adjacent the lower fine particle separationmember 110B. The upper and lower fine particle collection chambers 101A,101B are joined to form a single fine particle collection chamber 101when the dirt cup 54 is mounted beneath the cyclone separator 18, asshown in FIG. 13.

Another difference between the cyclone separator assembly 12 of FIG. 13and the first embodiment cyclone separator 12 (FIGS. 1-6) is thegeometry of the apertures 112 in the fine particle separation members110. In the current embodiment, the fine particle separation members110, which are best viewed in FIG. 14, comprise a plurality of verticallouvers 113 that form the apertures 112 therebetween. Thus, theapertures 112 are elongated vertical slots, and, as best seen in FIG.15, the slots are angled so that they are parallel or in-line with theairstream. The slots can extend uniformly along the height of the fineparticle separation member 1 10, or the slots can have variable heightand surface area, as shown in FIGS. 16 and 17. The slots of the fineparticle separation member 110 of FIGS. 16 and 17 have a steppedconfiguration or gradually decrease in height or surface area from theupstream side to the downstream side such that the apertures 112 and thesolid wall portion 109 meet at a generally diagonal juncture similar tothe fine particle separation members 110 of the first embodiment inFIGS. 1-6.

During operation, a working airstream enters and flows through thecyclone separation assembly 12 as described above with respect to thefirst embodiment cyclone separation assembly 12 in FIGS. 1-6; however,fine particles are separated from the airstream in the cyclone separator18 through the upper fine particle separation members 110A as well as inthe dirt cup 54 through the lower fine particle separation members 110B.The fine debris that passes through the upper fine particle separationmember 110A enters the upper fine particle collection chamber 101A andfalls into the lower fine particle collection chamber 110B, and the finedebris that passes through the lower fine particle separation member110B enters the lower fine particle collection chamber 101B. Thus, thefine debris, whether separated in the cyclone separator 18 or the dirtcup 54 falls under force of gravity to the closed bottom 108 of the fineparticle collectors 104. Debris in the fine particle collectors 104 andin the dirt cup 54 can be emptied by removing the dirt cup 54 andthereby the portion of the fine particle collectors 104 that forms thelower fine particle collection chambers 101B from the cyclone separatorassembly 12.

A sixth embodiment of a cyclone separator assembly 12 is illustrated inFIGS. 18 and 19, where components similar to those of previousembodiment cyclone separator assemblies 12 are identified with the samereference numeral. The cyclone separator assembly 12 is identical to thefirst embodiment cyclone separator assembly 12 of FIGS. 1-6, except thatin the current embodiment, the fine particle collectors 104 are formedin the cyclone top wall 20. The fine particle separation members 110 areseparate pieces that form an effectively continuous wall with thecyclone top wall 20. Alternatively, the fine particle separation members110 can be integrally formed with the cyclone top wall 20.

During operation, a working airstream enters the toroidal chamber 48 ofthe cyclone separator 18 through the tangential air inlet 28. As theairstream flows around the toroidal chamber 48, fine particles entrainedin the airstream are separated by the fine particle separation members110 and enter the fine particle collection chambers 101, where the fineparticles collect above the solid wall portions 109 of the fine particleseparation members 110.

A seventh embodiment of a cyclone separator assembly 12 is illustratedin FIGS. 20-22, where components similar to those of previous embodimentcyclone separator assemblies 12 are identified with the same referencenumeral. Referring to FIG. 20, the cyclone separator assembly 12 issimilar to the first embodiment cyclone separator assembly 12 of FIGS.1-6, except that in the current embodiment, the fine particle collectors104 span both the cyclone separator 18 and the dirt cup 54 and thecyclone separator assembly 12 further comprises a guide plate 122 thatfunctions to create a direction change in the airstream flow path foraiding in the separation of fine particles from the airstream.

Like the fifth embodiment illustrated in FIG. 13, each fine particlecollector 104 comprises an open-bottom upper fine particle collectionchamber 101A adjacent the cyclone separator sidewall 22 and an open-toplower fine particle collection chamber 101B adjacent the dirt cupsidewall 64 and the fine particle separation member 110, which forms aneffectively continuous side wall with the separator sidewall 22.Alternately, the fine particle separation member 110 can be formedintegrally with the side wall 22. The upper and lower fine particlecollection chambers 101A, 101B are joined to form a single fine particlecollection chamber 101 when the dirt cup 54 is mounted beneath thecyclone separator 18, as shown in FIG. 20. Alternately, the fineparticle collectors 104 can span only the cyclone separator 18.

The cyclone separator 18 further comprises a separation wall 124 formedin spaced relation to the top wall 20, thereby forming a lower wall of aoutlet chamber 126 in which the guide plate 122 is positioned. Theseparation wall 124 is substantially imperforate, except for an outletchamber inlet 128 which fluidly communicates the toroidal chamber 48with the outlet chamber 126. The outlet chamber 126 essentially formsthe outlet of the toroidal chamber 48. Thus, while the separation wall124 generally separates the fine particle collection chambers 101 fromthe toroidal chamber 48, the two spaces communicate through the outletchamber 126. The outlet chamber 126 can be rectangular or any othergeometry suitable for airflow therethrough.

As described above, the top wall 20 and the separation wall 124 forms anupper wall and a lower wall of the outlet chamber 126, respectively. Theside wall of the outlet chamber 126 is formed by the separator side wall22 and the fine particle separation members 110. The fine particleseparation members 110 separate the upper fine particle collectionchambers 101A from the outlet chamber 126, though the two spacescommunicate through apertures 112 in the fine particle separationmembers 110. Thus, fine particles entrained in the air in the outletchamber 126 can pass through the apertures 112 to the fine particlecollection chambers 101.

The guide plate 122 is positioned in the outlet chamber 126 so that aircan flow in through the outlet chamber inlet 128 and out through theexhaust outlet 31. Preferably, the guide plate 122 is positioned in theoutlet chamber 126 so that it is spaced from the top wall 20, theseparation wall 124, the separator sidewall 22 and the fine particleseparation members 110. Although not shown, fixation devices can extendbetween the guide plate 122 and the top wall 20 or the separation wall124 to maintain the guide plate 122 in its spaced position. The type andmanner of fixation is not germane to the invention, as long as air canflow between the outlet chamber inlet 128 and the exhaust outlet 31.

As illustrated, the guide plate 122 comprises a solid disc, althoughother configurations are possible. The guide plate 122 functions to aidin the separation of fine particles entrained in the air flowing throughthe outlet chamber 126 by directing the airstream entering the outletchamber inlet 128 radially outwardly, and then radially inwardly,essentially changing the direction of the airstream flow path 180°,before exiting the cyclone separator assembly 12 through the exhaustoutlet 31. The inertia of the fine particles entrained in the airstreamcauses them to continue traveling radially outwardly even after theairstream changes direction, whereby the fine particles are carried intothe fine particle collectors 104. The width of the guide plate 122causes the airstream flow path to be directed vertically for a shorttime after flowing radially outwardly and before flowing radiallyinwardly. The width of the guide plate 122, and thus the verticalcomponent of the airstream flow path through the outlet chamber 126, canvary, as long as the effect on fine particle separation remainsnegligible.

As with previous embodiments, the apertures 112 in the fine particleseparation members 110 can be configured in any suitable geometry.However, as shown in FIGS. 21 and 22, it is preferred that the apertures112 are formed by a plurality of horizontal louvers 113 such that theapertures 112 are elongated, horizontal slots. As shown in FIG. 22, theslots can be angled so that they are parallel or in-line with theairstream. It is further preferred that the leading edge or surface ofthe apertures 112 be transverse to the airstream flow path. It is morepreferred that the leading edge or surface of the apertures 112 begenerally perpendicular to the airstream flow path. Thus, in the currentembodiment, the leading surface 113A of the louvers 113, and thus theleading edge of the apertures 112, are oriented generally horizontally,since the airstream flow path past the fine particle separation members110 is generally vertical.

In another example (not shown), the apertures 112 can have a truncatedcone shape, as described in the first embodiment and shown in FIG. 3A.The apertures 112 will be oriented so that the central axis of thetruncated cone is transverse to the flow direction of the airstreampassing the apertures 112.

While not shown, it is understood that the seventh embodiment of thecyclone separator 18 can comprise a filter assembly, similar to thefilter assembly 82 shown in FIGS. 1-6, or a frustoconical separator,similar to the frustoconical separators 18 shown in FIGS. 10-12, and thedirt cup 54 can comprise a plurality of finger-like projectionsextending vertically from the bottom wall 62 of the dirt cup 54, similarto the projections 65 shown in FIGS. 1-6.

During operation, the working airstream enters the tangential air inlet28 and flows in a cyclonic fashion around the sidewall 22. As the aircirculates, larger particles entrained in the airstream are separatedtherefrom and fall to the bottom of the dirt cup 54. The airstreamremains entrained with fine particles and passes into the outlet chamber126 through the outlet chamber inlet 128. In the outlet chamber 126, theairstream encounters the guide plate 122, which forces the airstream, insequence, radially outwardly, vertically, and radially inwardly, therebyessentially changing the flow direction of the airstream 180°. As theairstream changes direction, the inertia of the fine particles throwsthe fine particles through the plurality of apertures 112 in the fineparticle separation members 110. After passing through the apertures112, the fine particles come to rest in the relatively dead space withinthe fine particle collection chambers 101 of the fine particlecollectors 104.

An eighth embodiment of a cyclone separator assembly 12 is illustratedin FIGS. 23-25, where components similar to those of previous embodimentcyclone separator assemblies 12 are identified with the same referencenumeral. The cyclone separator assembly 12 is identical to the seventhembodiment cyclone separator assembly 12 of FIG. 20 except that in thecurrent embodiment, the guide plate 122 comprises a fan-like formationon the bottom surface of the guide plate 122. The formation comprises aplurality of spaced, curved vanes 130 extending radially outwardly fromthe center of the guide plate 122, as shown best in FIG. 24. The vanes130 function to direct air centrifugally outwardly, in a circularpattern; thus, the air flowing through the outlet chamber 126 isdirected centrifugally outwardly, and then radially inwardly,essentially changing the direction of the airstream flow path 180°,before exiting the cyclone separator assembly 12 through the exhaustoutlet 31. The inertia of the fine particles entrained in the airstreamcauses them to continue traveling centrifugally outwardly even after theairstream changes direction, whereby the fine particles are carried intothe fine particle collectors 104. Alternatively, the guide plate 122 canbe mounted to spin as the air flows through the vanes 130 to furtherincrease the inertia of the particles in the airstream. Like the seventhembodiment, the width of the guide plate 122 also causes the airstreamflow path to be directed vertically for a short time after flowingcentrifugally outwardly and before flowing radially inwardly.

Another difference between the current embodiment and the cycloneseparator assembly 18 of FIG. 20 is the configuration of the apertures112. As best viewed in FIG. 24, since the airstream flow path past thefine particle separation members 110 contains both horizontal andvertical components, the apertures 112 are formed by a plurality ofcanted louvers 113 such that the apertures 112 are elongated, cantedslots.

In another example (not shown), since the airstream flow path past thefine particle separation members 110 is more horizontal than vertical,the louvers 113 can be oriented generally vertically, as described forthe fifth embodiment of the cyclone separator assembly 18 and shown inFIG. 13.

During operation, the working airstream enters the tangential air inlet28 and flows in a cyclonic fashion around the sidewall 22. As the aircirculates, larger particles entrained in the airstream are separatedtherefrom and fall to the bottom of the dirt cup 54. The airstreamremains entrained with fine particles and passes into the outlet chamber126 through the outlet chamber inlet 128. In the outlet chamber 126, theairstream encounters the guide plate 122, and the vanes 130 on the guideplate 122 forces the airstream, in sequence, centrifugally outwardly,vertically, and radially inwardly, thereby essentially changing the flowdirection of the airstream 180°. As the airstream changes direction, theinertia of the fine particles throws the fine particles through theplurality of apertures 112 in the fine particle separation members 110.After passing through the apertures 112, the fine particles come to restin the relatively dead space within the fine particle collectionchambers 101 of the fine particle collectors 104.

The multiple embodiments of the cyclone separator assembly 12 comprise afine particle separation member having a plurality of apertures forseparating fine particles from a working airstream. Examples of the fineparticle separation member include, but are not limited to, afrustoconical cyclone separator, a cylindrical cyclone separator, and awall portion of a dirt cup or a cyclone region. The fine particleseparation member can be in a sidewall of any cyclone, regardless ofshape or orientation, and the apertures should be positioned to followthe cyclone path as it descends down the side wall. Alternatively, theapertures can be formed in an upper wall of a cyclone. Because the fineparticle separation member is formed in a sidewall or upper wall, largeparticles do not obstruct the apertures as the large particles areseparated from the working airstream. As a result, the fine particleseparation member is effective regardless of the amount of largeparticles in the dirt collection chamber. Additionally, the particleseparation member can be positioned between a cyclonic area and a deadspace within the fine particle collector. Optionally, the fine particleseparator dead space can be formed as a handle for removing the cycloneseparator assembly or a portion thereof from the vacuum cleaner.

While the invention has been specifically described in connection withcertain specific embodiments thereof, it is to be understood that thisis by way of illustration and not of limitation. Reasonable variationand modification are possible within the forgoing disclosure anddrawings without departing from the spirit of the invention, which isdefined in the appended claims.

1. A vacuum cleaner comprising: a housing having a sidewall and a topwall defining a cyclonic airflow chamber for separating contaminantsfrom a dirt-containing airstream, the housing further comprising aninlet and an outlet with an outlet wall in fluid communication with thecyclonic airflow chamber, and, optionally, a dirt cup with a sidewall,and an opening in at least one of the housing sidewall, the top wall,dirt cup wall and the outlet wall; a nozzle housing including a mainsuction opening, the main suction opening being fluidly connected withthe housing inlet; an airstream suction source fluidly connected to themain suction opening and to the cyclonic airflow chamber fortransporting dirt-containing air from the main suction opening to thecyclonic airflow chamber, wherein the suction source is adapted toestablish and maintain the dirt-containing airstream from the mainsuction opening to the housing inlet; a fine contaminant collectorpositioned in registry with the opening in at least one of the housingsidewall, the top wall, the dirt cup sidewall and the wall of the outletand formed at least in part by at least one collector side wall and abottom wall which define a collection chamber that opens into the atleast one of the cyclonic airflow chamber, the dirt cup, and the housingoutlet; and a fine contaminant separation member closing the opening inthe at least one of the housing sidewall, the top wall, dirt cup walland outlet wall to separate the collection chamber from the at least oneof the cyclonic airflow chamber, the dirt cup, and the housing outlet;wherein the fine contaminant separation member comprises a plurality ofapertures configured for separating fine contaminants from thedirt-containing airstream as the dirt-containing airstream flows by thefine contaminant separation member and for passing the separated finecontaminants into the collection chamber.
 2. The vacuum cleaneraccording to claim 1, wherein the fine contaminant separation member ispositioned in the outlet wall.
 3. The vacuum cleaner according to claim2, wherein the housing outlet comprises an outlet chamber having aninlet in fluid communication with the cyclonic airflow chamber and anexhaust conduit.
 4. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 3, wherein theoutlet chamber further comprises a bottom wall, a top wall and theoutlet wall.
 5. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 4, and furthercomprising a guide plate positioned in the outlet chamber for creating adirection change in the path of the dirt-containing airstream in theoutlet chamber to aid in the separation of fine contaminants from thedirt-containing airstream.
 6. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 5,wherein the guide plate is configured to direct the dirt-containingairstream passing through the outlet through a 180° turn.
 7. The vacuumcleaner according to claim 6, wherein the plurality of apertures aretransverse to the path of the dirt-containing airstream.
 8. The vacuumcleaner according to claim 7 wherein the plurality of apertures arecircular in cross-section.
 9. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 7,wherein the plurality of apertures are elongated.
 10. The vacuum cleaneraccording to claim 9, wherein the plurality of apertures are formed bylouvers.
 11. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 5 wherein the guideplate comprises a plurality of vanes for imparting a circular motion tothe dirt-containing airstream.
 12. The vacuum cleaner according to claim11, wherein the outlet chamber inlet is positioned centrally withrespect to the vanes.
 13. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 12wherein the guide plate is mounted for rotation with respect to theoutlet chamber, whereby the guide plate is rotatably driven by thedirt-containing airstream as it passes through the outlet chamber toincrease the inertia of the particles in the dirt-containing airstream.14. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 1 wherein the fine contaminantseparation member is formed in both of the cyclone separator sidewalland the dirt cup sidewall.
 15. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 1wherein the apertures in the fine contaminant separation member have apattern that forms a dead space in the collection chamber, and the finecontaminant separation member partitions the cyclonic airflow chamberfrom the dead space.
 16. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 1 whereinthe dirt cup is removably mounted to the cyclonic airflow chambersidewall.
 17. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 1, and furthercomprising a guide plate positioned in the housing outlet for creating adirection change in the path of the dirt-containing airstream in thehousing outlet to aid in the separation of fine contaminants from thedirt-containing airstream.
 18. A particle separator comprising: ahousing having a sidewall and a top wall defining a cyclonic airflowchamber for separating contaminants from a dirt-containing airstream,the housing further comprising an inlet and an outlet in fluidcommunication with the cyclonic airflow chamber, and a dirt cupincluding a sidewall beneath the cyclone airflow chamber and incommunication therewith to receive dirt particles separated from thedirt-containing stream in the cyclonic airflow chamber; at least oneparticle collector formed at least in part by a at least one collectorside wall and a bottom wall which form a collection chamber having anopening into at least one of the cyclonic airflow chamber, the dirt cup,and the housing outlet; and a fine contaminant separation member closingthe collection chamber opening to separate the collection chamber fromthe at least one of the cyclonic airflow chamber, the dirt cup, and thehousing outlet and having a plurality of apertures that are configuredto separate fine contaminants from air in the at least one of thecyclonic airflow chamber, the dirt cup and the housing outlet and forpassing the separated fine contaminants into the collection chamber. 19.A vacuum cleaner comprising: a housing having a sidewall and a top walldefining a cyclonic airflow chamber for separating contaminants from adirt-containing airstream, the housing further comprising an inlet andan outlet in fluid communication with the cyclonic airflow chamber, theoutlet being formed by at least one outlet wall; a nozzle housingincluding a main suction opening, the main suction opening being fluidlyconnected with the housing inlet; an airstream suction source fluidlyconnected to the main suction opening and to the cyclonic airflowchamber for transporting dirt-containing air from the main suctionopening to the cyclonic airflow chamber, wherein the suction source isadapted to establish and maintain the dirt-containing airstream from themain suction opening to the housing inlet; a fine contaminant collectorformed at least in part by at least one collector sidewall and a bottomwall which form a collection chamber in registry with an opening in thehousing outlet wall; and a fine contaminant separation member closingthe opening in the hosing outlet wall to separate the collection chamberfrom the housing outlet; wherein the fine contaminant separation membercomprises a plurality of apertures that are configured to separate finecontaminants from the dirt-containing airstream as the dirt-containingairstream flows by the fine contaminant separation member and to passthe separated fine contaminants into the collection chamber.
 20. Thevacuum cleaner of claim 19 wherein the at least one collector side wallis transverse to the side wall in the housing outlet wall.